As I noted in a previous article, the Washington Wizards have a extremely good shot at making the playoffs in the top-heavy Eastern Conference. With the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers shaping up as their only competition for one of the three open playoff spots, the Wizards and their fans have plenty of good reasons to exude confidence for postseason basketball at this point.

Considering the way their schedule shapes up, Wizards’ fans will know very early in the season whether or not their confidence was warranted or misguided.

Of Washington’s 12 games against the Cavs, Raptors and Pistons, nine are played before the All-Star break. In fact, the whole season series against the Pistons will be complete before February, and the season series with the Cavs and Raptors will conclude prior to March.

With no games against their main playoff competitors in the latter months of the season, it’s crucial that the Wizards do not find themselves playing catch-up late in the season as it’ll be increasingly difficult to make up ground without head-to-head matchups.

So while you ooze confidence now with regards to your team’s playoff fate, Wizards’ fans, just remember one thing: if the team doesn’t get off to a good start in the first half of the 2013-12 season, your confidence could look like arrogance by the All-Star break.

Marcel Davis is a Washington Wizards writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mar_CelDavis24 , Like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.